Red and Green
by AnonymousSpeed
Summary: Roy has traveled through the outrealms with some of his wartime allies to Ylisse, where he finds a friend in Naga's Voice, the Manakete Tiki. But will this friendship develop into something... more? Well it's under 'romance', so take a guess.


January 26-

_Tiki is a close friend of mine, but more recently I can't help but feel that I have begun to like her in a deeper way. I have had a discussion with my father about this, and though we know the relationship may present difficulties, he has encouraged me to follow my heart. We decided a good first move would-_

"Master Roy?" the voice if his young friend since birth, Wolt, came from behind him as he strugglingly pushed open the large, bolted oak door to the stone room of Roy's barrack. It was rectangular in shape, about seven feet across and fifteen feet long. A large bed with a thick brown canopy curtain was tucked snugly against the wall to Roy's right. Roughly a third if the rooms length from that wall was the doorway, and the remainder of that wall had a wooden bench suspended from it by two chains. On the wall opposite the bed was a large glass window, and along the center of the wall opposite the door lied a wooden desk for his own use. Above the desk was yet another window, and left of it was a dresser and bookshelf. Six oil lamps were spaced evenly along the walls, keeping the room homely and well lit during the evenings and nights. Though Roy had insisted to the army's tactician that he be treated as any other soldier, they had given him a rather luxurious quarters at the southwest corner of one the barrack houses, just for his use, out of respect for his supposed legacy. It was strange, these outrealms, were he was a much a legend as the 8 heroes and the scouring were back in Lycia, but there was something certainly gratifying about it.

"Yes Wolt?" The red-haired swordsman jerked, shutting the journal he was writing in and slamming the bright blue writing quill he had been given (another accommodation from the tactician) down hastily.

"Sire, you've been neglecting your training recently," the archer said worriedly, "is something wrong? Lilina, Cecilia and I are concerned about you," he asked, standing in the door way.

"Hm?" Roy asked, standing from his chair, "oh, nothing, please, come in," he answered his milk brother with a motion towards the inside of his chamber.

"But sir," Wolt spoke, slightly taken aback by the proposal, "this is your private quarters, it-"

"I know what it's for, Wolt," Roy answered with a sigh, "I just thought that the two of us could catch up a bit. As you said, I've been rather absent recently."

"My apologies sir!" the bowman hastily replied, "I did not mean to-"

"Wolt," Roy stated, laying a hand on his friends unpadded shoulder, "relax. This is a barrack, not a Pharean castle. Go have a seat," he instructed, moving his hand of off Wolt's shoulder to indicate the bench to his right.

"O-okay," Wolt responded, sitting down nervously, unable to obey his friends orders fully as his vision darted about the room.

"Wolt," Roy began, moving his chair to face his friend. It was a sturdy oak carving adorned with the designs of many lions, another expense not sparred for him despite his protests, "have you ever loved someone?" he asked subconsciously as he sat down.

"Romantically or platonically?" The archer replied, letting out a breath of relief at having something to do other than be idle.

"Uh, romantically," Roy sputtered, surprised at his own question.

"No, not anyone in particular," the young bowmen answered, sitting very attentively, "why do you ask, Master Roy?"

The red-head jolted a little in his seat, "just... thought of it, so I guess no reason" he nervously replied. "But please," he began, relaxing as he began to speak, "you don't need to call me 'master,' Roy will work just fine on it's own."

"But that would be discourteous," Wolt answered him.

Another sigh from Roy, "it's always the same with you Wolt."

"Would you like me to do something differently m- Roy?" The archer answered him with a question.

"Yes, I'd like you to go back to his things were," Roy answered him, dazing out a little, "before wars, and training, and time portals, and... bowstrings, where it was us, two friends against the world, maybe with someone else along, you know?" he spoke dreamily, not looking at his companion.

"You mean one of your six girlfriends?" Wolt asked jokingly.

"Get out," Roy chuckled, throwing his hand towards the door, glad to have just a small informal moment with his friend.

"Alright," Wolt answered him, walking to the door, but a bit more casually than he had entered. "So," he asked, stopping in the still open doorframe which led into the stone hallway, evening light pouring in from the open ends of the corridor, "May we expect to see you at training tomorrow?"

"Sorry Wolt," answered, shaking his head, "I already have plans for then,"

This time Wolt let out the sigh, "alright, just try not to stay out of practice to long sire."

"I won't," Roy answered him as he stood up, nudging Wolt out into the hall and closing the door as he waved good bye.

"Now," He mumbled to himself while straightening his chair, sitting back down at his desk and flipping open his journal, "where was I?"

* * *

Roy sat at his desk for a good few minutes, starring at the open journal and what he had written in it, still clutching his pen. The black ink was formed crisply over the Manila pages of the book, held in a red leather binding. It was a simple thing, but probably the gift from the outrealm army's tactician he most enjoyed having. The page on the right read:

January 26-  
_Tiki is a close friend of mine, but more recently I can't help but feel that I have begun to like her in a deeper way. I have had a discussion with my father about this, and though we know the relationship may present difficulties, he has encouraged me to follow my heart. We decided a good first move would, given her upcoming birthday, be to present her with a gift. Something to wow her. Something to set the pace of it all, and hopefully create an opportunity to tell her how I feel. She appears rather fond of both her hair ornament as well as an old dragonstone. I have decided what I want to give her, but it will take some time to prepare. Hopefully I will have it all done by the night of the 27th._

And that was how his entry for the day ended. Roy took a glance outside the window opposite his bed and saw the sun beginning to set. He would likely turn in for the day very soon, as he had a long day of work cut out for him tomorrow, but for now he had a little time to reminisce. He closed the book and put it away before moving his chair so he could more easily look out the window facing west. He could clearly remember the day he had first met her.

It had been early November. He had been assigned to lead his own force to meet with a small group of reserve soldiers from the central force of the army and take out any risen that appeared in northern Valm, starting with a pod of Risen War Monks which had appeared in the Mila Shrine Ruins. It was just passed dawn when the two forces rendezvoused south of the shrine, his unit consisting of wartime, now historical companions of him and his father, Eliwood, and the reserve unit consisting of the noble Say'ri, her outrealm brother Yen'fay, the fanatic Priam, and of course, there was Tiki. While the rest of the army was readying their weapons for the day, or more accurately, while Priam was redoing everyone's weapons to meet his exceptional standard, often to their futile annoyance and protest, she was standing distant from the rest of the group, facing opposite the north shrine and starring, as if entranced, into the distance.

"Hello?" Roy had asked casually, walking up to her as he tightened his sheath.

No response. He continued to approach until he was merely a meter behind her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, "it's no issue if you want to stay back. I'd rather no one get hurt because they have something on their mind than-"

"No, no," she replied, gaze unbroken. It was the first time Roy had heard her voice, and he was caught of by how youthful it was given the woman's height and figure, "I am alright,"

"Oh, okay," Roy answered, walking up next to her to see what was so engrossing, "it's just that everyone else is preparing their weapons, and-"

"Don't worry," she answered him, "I don't need to use a weapon,"

"Really?" Roy asked, a spark of curiosity in his voice as he turned to her. She looked slightly older than he did, being just a bit taller with light green hair and a smooth, youthful complexion.

"Yes, you see, I am a Manakete," she answered, turning her head to face him as she displayed a small orb, the same green color as her hair with a grey 'X' design on it, "I use a dragonstone in battle."

"Hmm... yes," Roy answered, looking at the stone, "I am very familiar with Manaketes and dragonstones," he went on, looking up and nodding at her.

"Really?" She inquired of him in her soft voice, "are you a scholar?"

"Oh no miss...?" he replied to her.  
"Tiki," she finished.  
"Thank you, Tiki. my name Roy," he answered, stretching out his hand.  
"Very nice to meet you ,Lord Roy," she answered, shaking his hand. Roy knew a bit about Manaketes, and had even fought with and against them, but he had never actually touched one, and was surprised at how soft her skin was given how old she was likely to be.

"How did you know I was a noble?" Roy asked her, even recoiling slightly in surprise.

"I've known my share of lords," she relied with a smile, "after a while you just get a feel for it. So, you were going to tell me about where you have learned about Manaketes?"

"Hm? Oh yes, I was," he stated calmly, taking his hand from her and putting it on the handle of his sword, holding it tightly in it's black leather sheath to hide its identity as a Wyrmslayer, as not to make Tiki uncomfortable, "I will have to tell you later. It appears that Priam has ended another training lecture, so we should probably head out before he begins another one."

"I swear," he muttered as he began to walk to the main collection of soldiers, "that man would start lecturing a Risen on how to die properly."

"Teehee, Your rather clever, Lord Roy," Tiki laughed as Roy looked over his shoulder to see she was following him to the concentration.

"Please," he asked her, "just call me Roy," he requested, turning to look forward as he walked.

_Boy_, he thought to himself as Tiki continued to chuckle behind him, _what did she find so funny?_

* * *

He introduced her to his friend Wolt at dinner that night, and the three struck up a conversation about the Manaketes, swordplay, homelands, as well as each others companions, present and past alike. There was plenty of time for conversation that night, as the hot-headed red cavalier Sully had prepared an unidentifiable meal that tasted like hot steel and rocks for supper.

Roy and Tiki continued to have discussions on most evenings, and the two became fast friends. However, despite his best efforts, Roy could not get Wolt and Tiki to fully warm up to each other, and the two never seemed to talk to each other unless Roy gathered them together for a conversation. But none the less, he enjoyed the company of both, and they both enjoyed the company of him, so it didn't matter all to much. He was happy to be their friends individually.

After a while though, Roy found himself more actively pursuing spending time with Tiki than Wolt, whom had been his closest confidant and friend since they were babies, except for maybe his father. And one day, about two weeks before, he found that he rather fancied Tiki.

Everything seemed to go as normal that evening. He had eaten his supper and had a small chat with Wolt before the latter turned in for the night (something he often did rather early, as to be better able to serve in the morning). Roy lingered around for a bit after the rest of the army had gone off to sleep or to be doing things somewhere else, not feeling very tired but not having anything in his mind to do. After a few minutes he spotted Tiki coming into the mess hall, which was a large stone room filled with wooden benches and tables.

"Ah, good evening Tiki," he greeted her brightly, standing up and stretching out his hand, "where have you been?"

"Good evening as well, Roy," she replied, half-heartedly accepting his gesture

"Hey," the red-haired swordsman asked worriedly, afraid he had somehow offended her, "are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright. It's just... I went out to think about some things, and I guess I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself," she answered wistfully, taking a seat next to where Roy was standing.

"Oh, alright then," Roy said, feeling a little pity, "would you like me to get you a drink or-"

"No, it's alright," Tiki interrupted him, "I'm feeling better now that I'm with a friend. Why don't you take a seat?" she gestured next to her.

"No reason, I suppose," Roy responded, sitting down beside her, "so... what has been on your mind?"

"Just..." she responded, but choked a little, "some people I used to know. As a Manakete, I've long outlived my old friends. I knew and befriended many people over the years, even the hero prince Marth. But..." She continued, swallowing back her emotions, "they are long passed now. It's difficult and... something I've still not come fully to terms with."

Roy had never felt more distraught or anxious than at that moment, seeing the drops of tears welling up on Tiki face.

"Tiki," he said softly, lying his hand on her shoulder. He had never before reached out and touched her like this, and it made him feel awkward, but at the same time warm inside. "Don't cry," he told her, trying to sound comforting, "please... don't."

She sniffled before responding, a few loose tears dripping down her face "your right," she answered Roy, sliding his hand off, "I'm being rather childish. I just... feel afraid... that I may be alone again."

"Your not alone now," Roy told her earnestly, "you have me, for one"

At this she turned her head to him and smiled gently, revealing a kind glow in her olive green eyes, "thank you Roy. I... I feel better with you having said that."

"I'm glad I helped you feel better," Roy replied, inexplicably feeling as if an anvil had just come off of his chest. The two stayed by each other for a brief moment, starring out the west window (a hollowed rectangle in the wall) as dusk broke.

"It's very beautiful, isn't it?" Roy heard Tiki's gentle voice ask him.

"Your hair ornament?" He answered, slightly confused.

"No," she giggled, "the sunset,"

"Oh, Roy replied, "yes... yes it is..."

"Three thousand years," Tiki spoke absently, "I've watched the same sunset for over three thousand years, but it never loses any of its majesty."

"Well, you and it seem to have something in common," Roy unwittingly remarked.

"Your to kind Roy," she said, smiling at him as she stood up, with Roy still starring out into the sunset, a look of thoughtfulness on his face. "Well, it will be dark soon. Good night," she told him, rubbing his scarlet head before heading off.

"Good night to you as well," he spoke as she left, still looking wonderingly at the sunset.

_Did I really just say all that to her? _he asked himself, _i__f I didn't know myself so well, I would say I had fallen for her. Provided, she is very beautiful and very kind and very... Oh heavens._

* * *

It was the morning of the 28th, the time for Roy to make his advance. Or more so, the afternoon of the 28th by the time he awoke. He was infinitely thankful that very little had occurred the day before, as it had given him enough time to go into town that afternoon to have the metallurgy of his gift finished. Even so, it took a fairly long time for the local smith to create the intricate design the lordling had specified, and by the time Roy had gotten the gift finished at a local jewelers, returned to his barrack and wrapped the present as fancily as he could, it was well into the dead of night, and he had collapsed on his desk from exhaustion.

But once Roy had awoken, it took only glance at the late day sky to fully wake him, and the sound of Wolt pounding at his door, insisting that he get out of bed, was certainly helpful.

"I'll be right out Wolt!" Roy shouted through the door, hastily changing from his black and blue garb into an identical black and blue set of clothes. As soon as he had finished he snatched the present up, tried to sort out his red hair with his hands and calmed down greatly to open the oak door.

"Good morning," Roy said to his archer friend, holding the small wrapped box behind his back and trying to appear professional.

"Sire, it's early in the afternoon. Most of the army would have left if not for the fact that nothing much has happened today," Wolt informed him.

"Er, yes, sorry," Roy answered his milk brother, still hiding the gift, "I hate to leave suddenly, but," he began, rotating around Wolt so his back would face away from him, "I have to go do something," he said, and then darted off, clutching the box against his chest. _Dang it! _He mentally scolded himself, _I awoke far to late, even by her lenient standards._

Roy spent the next twenty minutes rummaging about the building and keeping his gift hidden before he finally found Tiki sitting atop a crate on the roof, starring peacefully at the sky.

Roy closed the hatch (which was the sole means of accessing the roof of the barracks) without being noticed before walking over to Tiki from behind, hiding the wrapped present behind his back.

"Hello Tiki," he exclaimed, causing the Manakete to jump in surprise.

"Oh, Roy. It's good to see you," she smiled as she turned to face him and stood up.

He was standing just two feet away. Just two feet in front of him was the most spectacular woman he had ever seen. She stood just a couple of inches taller than him, and Roy felt almost completely breathless in her presence.

"Um," he started to speak, cursing the fact that he not thought of what he would say when he found her, "I... just wanted to say Happy Birthday," he said, holding out the gift. The wrapping parchment was a dark navy blue, not unlike the hair color of Ylissean lords, and a bright red ribbon to match the color of Tiki's dress was tied about it. Even though he had been clutching and concealing it sense he had awoken, Roy had taken the utmost care to not so much as leave a single crease on the present. "I know it's a bit late in the day, but, I at least got it to you", he added.

"Oh Roy," she gasped, holding a hand to her mouth, "you shouldn't have."

"No, I assure you it was no trouble to me at all," he lied with large grin. It had been a massive pain to get his present to her as it was now, but it would be easily worth it if it made her happy.

"Well, all I can say is thank you," she said, giving him a warm smile that he returned with a nod. Tiki sat back on her crate and slid the ribbon off before carefully peeling off the blue wrapping in a single clean sheet.

"I hope it's to your liking," He said once she had gotten to just the wooden box and begun to remove the lid.

"Roy," she gasped as she dropped the lid to reach inside, "it's... beautiful," she said as she removed the gift. A golden circlet with a floral design, a large, misty blue gem held in the center.

"My father gave me this old dragonstone when I was very young. He said it belonged to a dancer and friend of his once. It may not work anymore, but, I thought that you might like it," he spoke timidly. "You also seem to quite like your hair ornament, so I had circlet made to hold it."

Tiki slowly stood up, "that was very considerate of you Roy," said, smiling at the accessory she held in her hand as her eyes moistened.

"I'm glad you like it," Roy said to her, a smile also spreading across his face.

"I adore it," she said, suddenly embracing him tightly. It was somewhat uncomfortable, and felt like his bones were being crushed, but it also made Roy feel very warm inside.

"That's... very good," he responded, taking a moment to recover from his surprise, and then returning Tiki's gesture, and the two stayed like that for a while. "Would... you like a moment... to put it on?" Roy coughed out.

"Oh? Oh!" Tiki immediately let go of Roy, who instinctively gasped for breathe. "I-I'm sorry Roy! It's just... It's been a while since anyone has done something so nice for me, and it, just..."

"It's no issue," Roy panted with a feeble smile.

"Roy, did I hurt you?" Tiki asked, sounding and looking horrified.

"No, no, I feel perfectly fine," Roy insisted, straightening himself, "would you like some help putting it on?"

"That, would be wonderful," she replied, letting the smile return to her.

"Alright then, would you let me see that for a moment?" Roy asked, pointing his hand towards the circlet. Tiki nodded and handed it to him, bowing slightly so he could more easily fit it. "Alright," he said as he removed Tiki's tradition ornament and placed the circlet in her soft, green hair.

Roy took a step back as Tiki straightened herself and held his gaze on her for a moment. "You look gorgeous," he said, nodding at her.

"Thank you, very much," she replied, smiling at him. "Roy," she began, blushing heavily and rubbing the back of her neck while starring away at the ground.

"Yes?" He responded to her, gulping nervously.

"If you could, do one more thing for my birthday?" she asked him timidly.

"Of course," he replied, "what is it I can-" Roy suddenly fell silent as Tiki leaned over and quickly kissed him on the lips, which made his cheeks flush a color similar to his hair.

"Thank you, Roy," she smiled at him and blushed. "I-I hope that didn't bother you. It's just that your so considerate and you've been so kind to me since we've met. I, I mean, I felt, I feel, very strongly about you. P-please, don't let me bother you if you are opposed to-"

"No, not at all," Roy quickly stated, "in fact, I... rather enjoyed that," he said, smiling back.

"Well... would you like to spend some time together later today? We could do that again" Tiki asked, a sheepish grin falling on her blushing face.

"It's a date," Roy answered, grinning back at her, "would you like to have it now?"

"Roy," Tiki answered, shaking her head, "I would very much like that."

"Then it's settled," Roy said, leaning close to her. Both smiled, both blushed. The two wrapped their arms around each other, and pulled themselves into a kiss.

**_FIN_**

* * *

_Well, I quite enjoyed writing that. It was a nice change of pace from what I've done in the past. I do love how the outrealm gate introduces so much more potential for crack pairings :)_

_In fact, I actually originally got the idea for this pairing from the Hubba Tester in FE13 of all things, but after a while it really grew on me as a true, stand alone ship rather than just a joke I did once._

_So, please review in whatever way you choose, either traditionally or via PM. All constructive criticism is very much appreciated!_

_And remember, if life gives you lemons, return the favor and get life something nice as well. Have a good day!_


End file.
